
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Class_,(y. V¥-8 / 

Book - & 

Gopight N°_ ° 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 





















































. 






















. 






























MY SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN 



Ib. 


Pror. 


Per. 







MY SYSTEM FOR 
CHILDREN 


y ,by 

J! Ps MULLER 

It 

(LIEUTENANT ROYAL DANISH ENGINEERS). 


AUTHOR OF 

“MY SYSTEM,” “MY SYSTEM FOR LADIES,” 
“MY BREATHING SYSTEM.” 


.WITH 132 ILLUSTRATIONS 
(FROM SPECIAL PHOTOGRAPHS) 


Copyright, 1912, in the United States of America by Eu'art, Seymour Sr Co., Ltd. 
Copyright, 1915, in the United Stales of America by Ewart, Seymour & Co., Ltd. 


PHILADELPHIA 

DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER 

604-608 South Washington Square 



Q\Ms\ 

M8 

\^\ S 


Nearly a Million Copies This book has been translated into 24 languages and has had 

already sold. the largest sale of any book on Health Exercise ever published. 

“My System.” 

Fifteen Minutes’ Work a Day for Health’s Sake. 

By Lieut. J. P. Muller. 

Containing reproductions of special photographs illustrating 
the various positions in each exercise; diagrams and time-table. 

“My System” consists of a short series of rational scientific exercise and self-massage, 
requiring no apparatus,entailing no violent exertion and occupying only 15 minutes daily. 
The exercises are specially designed to promote radiant physical health by maintaining 
the vital organs in a state of normal or natural efficiency. Special attention is directed 
to the care of the skin—which is itself one of the most important organs and not merely 
an impermeable covering—and to breathing, to strengthen the respiratory organs. 

Bound in cloth $1.00 net. 


“My System for Ladies.” 

Fifteen Minutes’ Exercise a Day for Health’s Sake. 

By Lieut. J. P. Muller. 

The above work, as its name indicates, is a companion volume to the original book, 
“My System,” and has been specially written by Lieut. Muller to meet the require¬ 
ments of ladies. 

Bound in cloth $1.00 net. 


A New and Valuable Work, by the Author of "My System.” 

“My Breathing System.” 

Correct Breathing is the first consideration if Health is to be maintained. Lieut. 
Muller has made exhaustive studies on the mechanical and physiological processes of 
Respiration, and is an acknowledged authority on the subject. In his characteristically 
plain, commonsense way, the author shows how the healthy and unhealthy, even those 
too weak to perform physical exercises, may devote a few minutes every now and then to 
his Breathing System with great benefit to themselves. 

Bound in cloth $1.00 net. 


Charts. 

Illustrating “My System” (Lieut. J. P. Muller’s System of Home Exercise Without 

Apparatus). 

My System. 

My System for Laclies—Simplest Form. 

My System for Ladies—Advanced Form. 

My System for Children. 

My Breathing System. 

r c ' 

The charts are printed on stiff cardboard and eyeletted so that they can be hung in a 
convenient place in the bedroom or wherever the exercises are performed. 

Price 25 cents each net. 

For sale by all Booksellers, or direct from the Publisher. 

DAVID McKAY, Publisher, Philadelphia. 


FEB 19 1915 

©3.A391781 

^0 / 







£)eincateU 


TO MY SONS, 

IB, PER, AND BROR, 

WITH MY BEST THANKS FOR THEIR 
HELP IN PREPARING 


THIS VOLUME 


PUBLISHER'S NOTICE. 

The present volume is an adaptation by the 
Author to the requirements of children of his 
world-famous “System” of Home Exercise 
without Apparatus. 

The original work, “My System,” intended 
for the use of adults, has been translated from 
the Danish into no fewer than nineteen other 
languages, and has achieved the extraordinary 
sale of nearly one million copies, whilst the more 
recent companion volume, “My System for 
Ladies,” has met with a correspondingly en¬ 
thusiastic reception. 

“My System for Children,” however, has 
been prepared, not alone because of the en¬ 
couraging welcome accorded to the earlier works, 
but in response to a very large number of direct 
requests from parents who have themselves 
adopted the practice of the Muller System. 

The formulation of the Exercises for Children, 
as readers will observe, is not based upon mere 
theory. It is the actual and proved result of 
experience by the Author in the case of his own 
children, as well as of those of other parents 
who have had confidence in Lieut. Muller’s 
sound and careful judgment, and have appre¬ 
ciated his painstaking and scientific labours of 
many years in the domain of physical culture. 

To some who are not themselves familiar 
with “My System” the length of the descrip¬ 
tions and the abundance of the illustrations of 
the exercises may at first suggest that they are 
of a complicated or lengthy nature; this impres¬ 
sion will, however, speedily disappear upon 
further perusal of the work, and the reader will 
appreciate the clearness and precision of the 
instructions and the helpfulness of the illustra¬ 
tions. 

Further, on page 19 the Author gives pre¬ 
cise instructions to beginners as to the gradual 
acquirement of the various movements, the 
sequence of which is so arranged as at the same 
time to accustom the child to the daily manipu¬ 
lation and to secure dexterity on the part of the 
operator. 



THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE* 

In the original book “My System” (Danish Edition 1904, English 
Edition 1905) there are two short chapters containing remarks on 
the application of my System to the case of infants and older children. 
In those chapters I described very briefly some of the movements and 
the massage to which I used to subject my own boys before they were 
old enough to perform the exercises of “My System” of their own 
accord, which, by-the-bye, they were able to do sooner than one would 
have thought. Ib (my eldest son) could do all the exercises in the 
medium degree, as prescribed for adults, before he was five years old; 
and Per , who enjoyed them still more, could do them very easily at 
the same age even in their severest degree. 

Notwithstanding the inadequacy of the directions given in “My 
System,” many parents have followed them with great benefit to 
their children, as is proved by the numerous letters of appreciation 
and thanks which I have received during the last six years. But 
several of these parents have urged me, at the same time, to give 
further details, with more illustrations, of these exercises for infants. 
By means of this present book I hope to accommodate all such wishes. 

The first part of the book contains a complete “System” of physical 
culture for children from birth upwards until the fourth or fifth year. 
This consists, as does the System for adults, of eight muscular exer¬ 
cises of different degrees of severity in accordance with the age of 
the infant. These are followed by the bath and by the ten massage 
exercises. The principal aim and effect of each separate exercise are 
similar, on the whole, to those of the corresponding exercise in “My 
System ” for adults. Every parent who has studied that book will, 
therefore, soon be able to commit to memory all the particulars of My 
System for Children. And further, the number of repetitions of the 
movements is arranged in such a manner that there will be hardly any 
trouble in recollecting the details. 

The latter part of the book is intended for older children, who can 
commence to do my exercises in the same manner as their parents. 
That this is quite possible is proved by numerous photographs, which 
I hope will act as powerful incentives to the children. Speaking 
generally, I think it will be easier to teach My System, as intended 


8 


for adults, to children from four to five years of age than to children 
of twice that age, because, if unpractised, these older children will 
find it more difficult to exercise their relatively heavier limbs and 
bodies exactly as required. 

Girls may be taught from my Ladies’ book—not by theoretical 
explanations, of course, but by the mother’s example—as early as 
the fifth year; or they may, if that be preferred, be treated physically 
precisely in the same way as the boys until their figures begin to ma¬ 
ture. 

s|c sf: jJ: 


45, Dover Street, 

Piccadilly, London, W. 


J. P. Muller. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The Author’s Preface.. 7 

Concerning what I have already written on Exercising Children . 11 

Further General Remarks on Physical Culture for Children . . 13 

Section I. 

“My System” applied to Babies and Infants 
under Four Years. 

General Rules for Exercising Babies.17 

Special Note to Parents Unacquainted with “ My System ” ... 19 

The Breathing Exercises.20 

The First Method .. 22 

The Second Method.24 

The Eight Muscular Exercises.25 

Exercise No. 1.—Straightening of the Body. Then Trunk-Circling . 26 

Exercise No. 2.—Leg-Swinging . . . 29 

Exercise No. 3.—Trunk-Raising, face upwards ...... 30 

Exercise No. 4.—Trunk-Twisting with “Side-Bending” .... 32 

Exercise No. 5.—Arm-Circling (“The Wind-mill”).34 

Exercise No. 6.—Leg-Circling.36 

Exercise No. 7.—“The Swallow,” with Trunk-Raising, Face Downwards 38 

Exercise No. 8.—“The Hand-Barrow,” Walking on Hands, and making 

“The Bridge”.40 

The Bath.42 

The Massage, or the Ten Rubbing Exercises.43 

Exercise No. 9.—Rubbing of Feet, and Front and Sides of Neck . . 45 

Exercise No. 10.—Kneading and Stroking of Arms and Shoulders . . 46 

Exercise No. n. —Rubbing of Front and Back of Trunk lengthwise . . 47 

Exercise No. 12.—Rubbing across Front of Trunk .... 48 

Exercise No. 13.—Rubbing across Back, Loins, and Seat .... 50 

Exercise No. 14.—Rubbing across Sides of Trunk and Hips . . . 51 

Exercise No. 15.—Kneading and Stroking of Legs.52 

Exercise No. 16.—Rubbing of Sides of Trunk and Hips lengthwise . 53 

Exercise No. 17.—Kneading of the Stomach.54 

Exercise No. 18. 55 

Exercise Games.56 

The See-Saw Swing.56 

The Merry-Go-Round.56 



















IO 


PAGE 

The High Swing.58 

The Somersault.58 

The Special Neck Exercises.60 


Section II. 

“My System” for Older Children. 

General Remarks and Rules.64 

The Breathing Exercises. 66 

The Eight Muscular Exercises.68 

Exercise No. 1.—Trunk-Circling.68 

Exercise No. 2.—Leg-Swinging.70 

Exercise No. 3.—Trunk-Raising.72 

Exercise No. 4.—Trunk-Twisting with “Side-Bending” .... 74 

Exercise No. 5.—Arm-Circling.76 

Exercise No. 6.—Leg-Circling.78 

Exercise No. 7.—Trunk-Twisting with “Forward Leaning” ... 80 

Exercise No. 8.—Body-Sinking, with “Arm-Bending” .... 82 

The Bath and Drying.84 

The Rubbing Exercises.86 

Exercise No. 9.—Rubbing of Feet and round the Neck .... 86 

Exercise No. 10.—Rubbing of Arms, Shoulders, and round Arm-pits, with 

Deep Knee-Bending . ..88 

Exercise No. 11.—Trunk-Bending backwards and forwards, with rubbing 

of Front and Back.90 

Exercise No. 12.—Trunk-Leaning sideways and Half Knee-Bending, with 

Rubbing of Thighs, Hips, and Abdomen.92 

Exercise No. 13.—Half Trunk-Twisting, whilst the Hands alternately 

press downwards and rub the Back.94 

Exercise No. 14.—Leg-Raising sideways, with rubbing of Flanks, Hips 

and Thighs.96 

Exercise No. 15.—Knee-Raising with rubbing of Legs and Front and 

Back of Trunk.98 

Exercise No. 16.—Trunk-Bending sideways, with rubbing of Sides of 

Body.100 

Exercise No. 17.—Trunk-Twisting, with rubbing of the Breast . . . 102 

Exercise No. 18.—Trunk-Leaning backwards and forwards, with rubbing 

of Breast and Loins.104 


The Children of the Vikings (an Article from “The Baby’s World,” June, 

1910) . .107 

Some Interesting Facts and Figures .in 


Appendix . 


112 

























“MY SYSTEM” 

FOR 

CHILDREN 


Concerning what I have already Written on 
Exercising Children* 

I beg leave to commence this book by quoting the very same 
words of the old doctor with which I concluded “My System”: 
“All the strength and intelligence of the race are evolved from the bodily 
health of the child” 

I do not think I could find a motto better suited for my new chil¬ 
dren’s book. 

Further, I should like to reprint a few sentences from the chapters 
on children contained in the original edition of “My System” for 
adults, and which will be omitted in all future editions of that book:— 

“A rubbing of the body all over after the daily bath is an exceed¬ 
ingly good thing, even for babies; and they are uncommonly fond of it. 
They crow with delight when you knead their little limbs and stomachs 
(if the skin of the palms be hard, rub with the lower part of the arm). 
Of course they cannot perform the exercises themselves, but when they 
are lying on their backs you can make them go through many move¬ 
ments which will both amuse them and develop them physically. 
. . . A baby grows bow-legged, not from using its legs and re¬ 

ceiving massage, but from standing too long at a time. 

“The principal rule to be observed in all gymnastics for infants is 
to perform the movements gently and carefully; and preferably, to 
do a few introductory half or quarter movements, so that the child 
is at any rate physically prepared for what is to follow. Then you 
need not be afraid of fractures or strains. 

“The bath, rubbing and gymnastics of my two boys take my 


n 


12 


wife or me about half an hour in all every evening. That is only 
one-third or one-quarter of the time that most fathers of families 
spend over their pipes and their newspapers. Yet it is an incom¬ 
parably more important thing to lay the foundations of health in 
one’s children. 

“For older children all kinds of games, especially open-air games, 
are the best physical exercise. It is not well to tax their brains and 
nerves by compelling them to understand explanations of how gym¬ 
nastic exercises are to be performed. But if you let them watch 
while you are doing them yourself, their imitative faculty will lead 
them to attempt something similar in their turn. You can then en¬ 
courage them and direct their attempts. The exercises in them¬ 
selves will be immensely good for them. 

“Many parents—mothers especially—will assuredly cross them¬ 
selves and vow that the treatment I am recommending for children 
will kill them. I, on the other hand, think that indolence, stupidity, 
ignorance or mistaken tenderness renders many parents actually 
criminal towards their children, while the mode of procedure I advo¬ 
cate will really give them vital force. 

“That by far the greater number of children are absolutely stunted 
in comparison with what they might have become had they been 
brought up upon a plan conformable to Nature, is perhaps most 
clearly demonstrated by the tables of the general weight, height, and 
chest measurements of children of various ages which have been 
drawn up by the Danish Medical Union. It is quite possible that the 
figures are correct, but in that case, that people may not be lulled into 
a sense of false security, it should be added that the result is uncom¬ 
monly poor, and both ought to be and might be very much better. 
At the age of 12 to 13 years, for instance, the average chest measure¬ 
ment is estimated to be from 2 i^i to 27^ inches. My eighteen- 
months-old boy Per measures 23^ inches, and lb, my 5^-years-old 
son, 28^ inches round the chest. Both boys weighed from 9 to 10 
lbs. when they were born, and they are quite normal in their develop¬ 
ment, as far from being thin as they are from that unhealthy fatness 
the foundation of which is often laid when children are exclusively 
fed by hand. It is the development of the lungs, muscles, and bones 
that you want to encourage in children, whether girls or boys, not 
that of the cheeks, of the head, or of fat.” 

Time has shown that I was right, both as to what people would 
say about my treatment, and concerning its real health-giving 


13 


qualities. Even during the first year after the publication of the 
book “My System,” it was reported in all parts of Denmark 
that I had killed my own children by too much exercising or by 
“hardening” them. Even prominent professors of the University of 
Copenhagen took part in the spreading of these false rumours, not¬ 
withstanding that all that was necessary to obtain information as to 
the truth was to have telephoned to those about me. During the 
past seven years people all over the Continent have never grown weary 
of relating the tragic fate of my poor boys. Even now I am constantly 
receiving pathetic letters of condolence because lb is supposed to 
have died of physical over-exertion, or Per of pneumonia. 

Regarding the real state of health and strength possessed by my 
boys, I need only refer readers to the photographs recently taken 
of them which are contained in this volume. I have visited many 
and various countries, but I have never seen such well-developed 
children of corresponding age. The exceptional health and physique 
of my boys form, I think, the very best proof of the truth of my 
contention, that the mode of procedure I advocated for children 
would really give them vital force. 


Further General Remarks on Physical Culture 
for Children* 

My third boy, Bror, who will soon be completing his second year, 
is so fond of exercising that he cannot see me without running towards 
me, crying, “Dik, Dik!” which in his language means “gymnastics.” 
He always wants me to go through the movements with him. His 
favourite exercise is No. 7, even in its severest degree (Fig. 34), and 
long before reaching that number he does not cease crying, “Arme, 
Arme!” because he wants to stretch his arms out like wings. I think 
he feels as if he were flying when in this position without the slightest 
support from my hands. Is he perhaps instinctively attracted by the 
most modern manly sport, aeronautics? Is he destined to become an 
aviator? For the rest, this exercise is a most excellent one for de¬ 
veloping the muscles of the back and strengthening the dorsal ver¬ 
tebrae. Will he have an especially strong spine when grown up? 
Nothing could please me better! Men with a good spinal cord are 
rather rare in my dear old Denmark; and in certain other countries 
as well, for the matter of that. 



14 


The entire race has lost that early instinct of self-development 
and self-training so essential to its highest welfare. We ought 
therefore by all means to try to establish it again. We ought to 
congratulate ourselves that children generally have a very great 
faculty for acquiring physical habits of any kind. When formed 
in the earliest years they are of a most tenacious character, and they 
become more and more fixed during the period of growth. 

The main care of parents ought therefore to be that the physical 
habits which our children acquire be as good and healthy as possible. 
Hence the importance of guiding the baby, so that by a careful train¬ 
ing, correct modes of breathing, of standing and walking, and of per¬ 
forming every conscious muscular function, may be learned. 

This, as a matter of course, will then be followed by correct “habits” 
of all the unconscious functions of the body, such as the pulsation of 
the heart, the digestion and the secretions. 

I am therefore sure that the earlier the “habit” of not being able 
to do without the. “fifteen minutes’ work a day for health’s sake” is 
established, the better for the physical and moral welfare of the future 
race. 

We very often hear nowadays of children suffering not only from 
all the so-called childhood’s maladies, but also from various ailments 
which we formerly believed belonged only to a mature age or the sed¬ 
entary life of elderly people. I have even heard of babies suffering 
from phlebitis, or of being operated upon for appendicitis! 

It is beyond all doubt that the debility of childhood very often is 
due to insufficient exercise. The chief aim of the little System I 
have composed for children is therefore to fortify the two main avenues 
through which most ailments are likely to advance to the attack. 
Half of them come, popularly speaking, from outside, commencing 
with or excited by a cold. This big group of diseases may be guarded 
against by exercising the skin, developing the lungs, and strengthening 
the heart, all of which is attained by the air and water baths, the 
massage, and the breathing exercises of the System. 

The other half attack from inside, being hatched in a debilitated 
stomach, slow intestines, a sluggish liver, overworked kidneys, or 
elsewhere in the organs of a feeble body. All these organs are strength¬ 
ened and made insusceptible to disease by means of the eight exer¬ 
cises before the bath. I have given them the name of “muscular 
exercises,” only because their first and most conspicuous effect is the 
development of the muscles surrounding the above-named internal 
organs. 


i5 


But these eight exercises have at the same time other valuable 
effects: The body becomes perfectly and symmetrically formed. 
All those physical deformities, evidence of which can easily be noticed 
among little children at any board school, will be prevented. You 
need not fear that your children, exercised as I prescribe, will get 
curved spines, round or oblique shoulders, contracted chests, bandy 
legs, or imperfect muscles. Their bearing will become graceful, their 
gait free, easy, and energetic. Such good qualities are not always 
the result of evolution, but of early training and proper physical cul¬ 
ture in childhood. On the other hand, having improved the individ¬ 
ual, Nature’s capacity for reproduction according to pattern comes in 
and allows the next generation to start on a better basis, the result 
being ever the same, as far as physical culture is concerned—viz., 
to improve whatever physical condition exists; and so—Excelsior! 
The sooner in the life-history of the individual cultivation is begun, 
the more highly developed and perfect the pattern will be, reproduc¬ 
tion bringing it just that much nearer perfection. 

The best results are to be obtained during the very earliest days 
of childhood. It is in this plastic period that the form is most easily 
moulded. It is at this early period of life that the weal or woe of the 
infant’s future rests entirely in the hands of its parents. If you, my 
dear parents, wish to do it, it will be possible for you to fortify your 
infants’ physique to such a degree that later on your children will be 
able to stand without harm the tendencies of almost every school to 
make physical wrecks of them. Such, at any rate, is the Continental 
state of affairs in this respect. Although the child may possibly 
be fairly healthy while still at home, yet so soon as it has been 
attending school for some time it begins to develop all sorts of ail¬ 
ments. 

And please remember, firstly, that the exercising and massage of 
your child is also a very healthy exercise for yourself; and, secondly, 
that the whole extra work I ask of you will at most last only eight 
minutes a day. Even in the severest degree, and with the full number 
of repetitions, the eight muscular exercises with breathing pauses will 
take only five minutes; and the massage can easily be done as described 
in three minutes. Of course, I presuppose that the bath has already 
been given, and therefore represents no extra work. 

The physical treatment of boys and girls may be exactly the same 
through the whole period of infancy. On the other hand, it will be 
only quite natural if a little girl of four or five, who is trained by her 
mother or elder sister, imitates the movements as prescribed in my 


i6 


book for ladies. As you know, there is only a very slight difference 
between my exercises for men and those for women. The whole 
question, therefore, concerning a girl’s physical training up to the 
age of ten or even twelve is for the most part only a question of 
taste. 


SECTION I 


“MY SYSTEM” 

APPLIED TO 

BABIES AND INFANTS UNDER FOUR YEARS* 

General Rules for Exercising Babies* 

The first author who indicated gymnastics for babies, even for three 
weeks’ sucklings, was, as far as I know, the British doctor, Mr. Harding 
H. Tomkins. I have not adopted any of his excellent exercises here in 
my Children’s Book, for the simple reason that I believe my own are 
still better. But his theories are in all respects excellent, and I have 
taken the liberty to use some of his general hints. I take this oppor¬ 
tunity of adjudging to him the honour of having first invented and 
introduced special exercises for babies. 

While doing the exercises, it is a good plan to talk to and laugh at 
the baby, counting aloud to some tune if possible, or even singing 
“ See-saw, Margery Daw,” or some little tune in which the time is 
well marked. This will both attract its attention and, in the majority 
of cases, assist in keeping the movements rhythmical. It is not ad¬ 
visable at first to persist in the exercises throughout the entire course 
at each “sitting”; it would be better to choose a time when the baby 
is awake, not too hungry, and only lightly attired. Let it lie on its 
back and go through a few of the exercises, continuing the series the 
next time it is awake and playful, repeating them whenever oppor¬ 
tunity occurs. The limbs and the body must be very gradually con¬ 
ducted through the required positions. The slight resistance which is 
certain to be shown at first causes a certain amount of traction on the 
muscles by the operator, and this constitutes the work done, which 
helps to develop the muscles and expand the chest. Before long the 
child will “join in the fun” with relish, if the exercising be properly 
done. Any sudden pull will be resented, however. Tact must be 
used to make the child think it is doing what it wants. Babies about 
four or five weeks old will generally grasp eagerly at your thumbs or 
2 17 



i8 


fingers and “see the fun of it.” More patience is, however, often 
required if a commencement is deferred until the infant is older, say 
from two to three months, for then the child’s mind is likely to be di¬ 
verted by other things, such as some trinket worn by the operator, and 
it will cease grasping the fingers to clutch at what it sees. When the 
baby is old enough to understand a little, you will easily be able to 
interest it by praising it for its cleverness. 

In order to illustrate how most of the easy degrees of the exercises 
may be carried out, reproductions of actual photographs of a baby are 
given. He was three months old when these photographs were taken. 
His parents had done the massage and some of the muscular exercises 
with him from the time of his birth, which, by the bye, was very easy 
and lasted only half an hour, because his mother had performed “My 
System” until the very last day, of course with caution. 

The more severe degrees are illustrated with photographs of my 
third son, Eugen Jorgen Bror Chatelain Muller. The photographs 
were taken during the last four months of his second year. 

The first degrees of the muscular exercises, and of the massage as 
well, are best performed while the b.abe is lying on a little mattress 
upon a table. During the first months, when the neck is not yet 
strong enough to carry the head, you must always put a little pillow 
below the head, each time the baby is laid on its side or flat on its 
stomach. 

The massage must, of course, be performed while the child is quite 
naked. Therefore, the best time for this is immediately after the 
baby has been dried after the bath. If, during the first months, when 
the desquamation of waste matter of the skin is very liberal, the baby 
gets a bath twice a day, it is a good plan to divide the massage into 
two corresponding halves. 

The little one should never be enticed to sit up until the spine has 
become strong enough to support the trunk of the body upright. 
At first it can do this for only a short time, when it will become tired. 
If the little one has been left unrestrained and free from any fetters in 
the shape of either bands or pillow props, it will roll gently over on its 
side and enjoy itself in its own way. But if it is strapped up in a high 
chair or carriage, or is propped up with pillows so that it cannot lie 
down, the enfeebled spine becomes too tired to hold it up, and it will 
fall forward over the obstruction, whatever it may be, in a most un¬ 
comfortable position. On the other hand, a baby who has been 
exercised from about the fourth week of its existence will, of course, 
be able to sit up without any strain during the various exercises much 


19 


earlier than would be possible for children who have not been exer¬ 
cised at all. 

Remember never to go through the performances immediately 
before or after a meal, as the effort uses up the energy required for 
digestion. 

Before trying to perform any of the exercises, it is advisable to read 
the entire book through attentively. And I earnestly warn readers 
against exercising a baby after having only glanced at the illustrations, 
and without having carefully studied the explanations in the text. 
Any carelessness such as this may result in great harm being done to 
the child. 

There is no reason for alarm at the number of precautionary meas¬ 
ures I advise. These are all quite natural and obvious if you will only 
use your common sense. 

Special Note to Parents Unacquainted with “My System/' 

Readers having no practical acquaintance with “My System” 
for adults may possibly, on a first cursory perusal of the book, become 
frightened at the apparently large amount of complex work here im¬ 
posed upon them. The magnitude and complexity are, however, 
more apparent than real. For the first weeks of the baby’s life there 
is only a question of the massage, which at first consists of just a few 
simple rubbings. (See further in the chapter on “Massage, or the 
Ten Rubbing Exercises.”) By and by, when you have learned the 
various exercises, there will be more method in the massage, so that 
at last the whole surface of the body will be rubbed, both lengthwise 
and crosswise. 

First you should learn to do Exercises Nos. n (18) and 16. A 
few days later you may add Nos. io and 15; after some time Nos. 12 
and 13; then No. 14, and at last Nos. 9 and 17. When you are able 
to perform all ten rubbing exercises you should, of course, adhere to 
the prescribed order of sequence. 

With regard to the other exercises, when the child is from 1 to 2 
months old, you may start the deep breathing and some of the muscu¬ 
lar exercises—these latter, of course, in the easiest degree. Commence 
by learning to do the “Straightening of the body,” which is prelimin¬ 
ary to Exercise No. 1, followed by No. 3, and the first method of deep 
breathing. Some time after this you may learn Nos. 1, 2 and 6. 
Again, after some time, you may add the preliminary movements of 
Nos. 7 and 8, and the second method of deep breathing. Only start 
Exercises 4 and 5 some months later, when the child can sit up. 


20 


As previously pointed out, when you have become expert in the 
performance of the eight muscular exercises, it will take you only 
five minutes to go through them all, with the prescribed number of 
repetitions, and including the appropriate breathing pauses. Never¬ 
theless, there will possibly be parents who believe themselves to be so 
busy that they cannot spare time to perform them all. There are, 
however, two of these exercises which should never be omitted, viz., 
Nos. 3 and 7. It is necessary to perform No. 3 daily, for the purpose 
of keeping the child’s digestion in order, and No. 7 ought also to be 
performed as a complement of No. 3 (exercising as it does a corres¬ 
ponding group of muscles), for the sake of securing the child a good 
carriage of body. 

Before treating the baby, it would be a good plan to practise the 
various movements with a big doll. 

At any rate, do not forget that excessive coddling of children, even 
of sucklings, is productive of greater injury than a little too much 
exercise. 

“Slow and sure” should be the motto, “thorough” should be the 
method, with systematic perseverance, if the goal of physical com¬ 
petence is to be attained. Spasmodic, violent, or long-continued 
exercises are not only useless, but likely to be followed by dire results; 
and the reason why so many people decry such exercises is that they 
expect to do a great deal in a very short time, thinking that the more 
energy displayed in a short period, the greater the probability of pro¬ 
ducing quick results, whereas Nature has to grow the muscles and to 
increase the size of the blood-vessels, and enlarge the heart, lungs, etc., 
to meet the extra work required. And Nature will not be hurried! 

THE BREATHING EXERCISES. 

The well-known doctor J. H. Kellogg w r rites in an article on the 
physical training of children that one of the special objects of exer¬ 
cises for children should be the development of the chest. “In 
children the cartilages are flexible, and the costal articulations of 
the spine have free mobility, so that when the child takes exercise 
and increases the activity of his respiratory movements, the result 
is an enlargement of the chest. Forcible respiration in the child 
means a respiration fuller than the ordinary. It means expansion 
of the chest, a stretching of all the joints and cartilages connected 
with the ribs. . . . Think what a gain it would be for children to 

take exercises which would create a demand for air, and by daily 
expansion cause the chest to grow deep and large and broad, thus 
providing a capital of strength for future years!” 

It is of the utmost importance that the lungs should be as fully 
developed as possible at the earliest possible period of life, as every 
organ will participate in the benefits derived from the supply of a 
large quantity of well-oxygenated blood produced by such good lungs. 
It is just this very development that muscular and breathing exercises 


21 


can provide at the very earliest period of infancy, long before con¬ 
scious effort can be made by the “pupil/’ and the heart and muscles 
will develop in proportion. The exercises and the deep breathing 
cause more rapid and stronger pulsations, which provide the heart 
itself wdth purified blood, to its own improvement and strengthening. 
And this increased supply of pure blood, with the corresponding re¬ 
moval of impure blood, stimulate every part of the entire body to 
increased activity, which, in infants, is the same thing as stimulating 
to increased growth. This growth is by no means restricted to the 
muscular system and bony frame—far from it. The internal organs, 
nerves and brain, of course, participate in the extra blood supply, and 
are stimulated to healthier and more rapid action. And so the prog¬ 
ress of growth and development in the child is hastened in every 
way. 

It remains then a proved fact, that even at the very earliest period 
of infancy exercise must of necessity help in the development of 
muscles and organs, and in addition, what is still more important, 
tend towards producing sound and healthy constitutions, improved 
mental capacity and activity, and so greater self-control, self-reliance, 
and healthful influence upon the moral side of our natures as well. 

Now, as for putting the thing in practice, it is a matter of course 
that infants under three or four years are generally unable to take 
deep respirations deliberately or even voluntarily. But, on the other 
hand, it is quite possible, firstly, to compel them to breathe more 
deeply than they can do by their own control; secondly, to develop 
the elasticity of the chest; and thirdly, to strengthen the muscles 
by means of which the ribs are moved and the chest expanded. The 
first and the second of these advantages can be achieved by the two 
special methods of deep breathing I will now indicate, and the third 
object is attained by means of the muscular exercises described in a 
future chapter. 

After each of the eight muscular exercises a period of about io 
seconds ought to be spent in these breathing exercises. But while 
adults in each breathing pause of 12 seconds, as prescribed in “My 
System,” could perform two very deep, or three fairly deep respira¬ 
tions, the infant must, during its 10 seconds, take many more. Even 
when lying quietly on its back a new-born child will, during 10 seconds, 
take about seven respirations. 

Both the first and the second methods can be applied to children 
of five weeks old, but only the second method will then act as a real 
breathing exercise. The first method will not, because it cannot be 
performed quickly enough—at all events, not without scamping the 
movements or incurring the risk of straining the little limbs. But 
even if the real respirations do not for a few months follow the time of 
the movements of the first method, they will nevertheless be very 
useful for making the chest strong and elastic, and should, therefore, 
not be omitted. At all events, these exercises will make the child 
insusceptible to consumption of the lungs. 


22 


The First Method (The Silvester Method)* 

Costal Breathing. 

Lay the infant face upwards on the mattress, place yourself at its 
head and take hold of its arms just round the elbows, whereby it will 
be possible for you to keep them straightened the whole time during 
the following movements:— 

The little arms should be brought steadily downwards beyond 
the head until they are in line with the rest of the body, as shown 
in Fig. i. This raises the ribs and expands the chest, thereby allow¬ 
ing the air to enter. The arms should be kept in this position only 
for a moment, after which they are again carried upward and, without 
any pause, brought down vertically on to the chest, where they must 
be pressed (really, the hands of the operator) against the ribs, also for 
a moment only. This pressure must, of course, be very gentle to 
commence with, and it must be exercised in an oblique direction, so 
as to act partly against the sides and partly against the front of the 
little chest (see Fig. 2). This produces an expiration, expelling the 
used-up air from the lungs. 

The arms are now carried back again, that is, upwards vertically, 
and then down to the position of Fig. 1, effecting for the second time 
a forced inhalation, after which they are swung forward once more, 
and pressed against the ribs, producing a second forced exhalation. 
And so on alternately. 

This double movement, or breathing exercise, should be repeated 
four times during the 10 seconds until the infant is three years old; 
and after that age three times during the same period. When the 
child has reached the age of four or five years, it can begin to breathe 
deeper voluntarily, and will, by and by, be able to understand your 
instructions. 

As perhaps you will perceive, the principle of this exercise is the 
same as that in the method of artificial respiration invented by Dr, 
Silvester for resuscitation purposes. By omitting the bending of the 
arms of the pupil I have adapted it for infants. When the child is 
older, say two years, you may very well increase the efficacy of the 
inhalation by putting a little pillow under the shoulder-blades. 


The Breathing Exercises* 



Fig. i.—T he Silvester Method. 



Fig. 2 .—The Silvester Method. 



Fig. 3 .—The Schafer Method. 



Fig. 4 .—The Schafer Method. 











24 


The Second Method (The Schafer Method)* 

Abdominal Breathing. 

Lay the infant on its stomach, the head turned sideways and resting 
on a little pillow. Place your palms on the lower part of its back, the 
thumbs touching one another, and the other fingers spread out upon 
the sides of the little body (see Fig. 3). Now press downwards and 
inwards for a short moment, very gently of course to begin with. 
Then relax the pressure without taking the hands away from the body. 
Then press once more and relax the pressure again, and so on alter¬ 
nately, the palms resting the whole time in the same position. If the 
baby is very little and your hands big, you should press with one hand 
only (see Fig. 4). You should in the beginning, when the baby is only 
five weeks old, repeat the pressure six 1 times during every breathing 
pause of 10 seconds. But you should diminish the number to five 
times when the infant is one year, to four times when two years, and 
to three times when three years old. 

A healthy, strong, and practised infant will, when about two years 
old, enjoy a rather severe pressure. And then you may, in order not 
to tire your own arms too much, put a part of your own weight into 
the downward pressure, keeping your arms straightened. 

This exercise is on the same principle as Dr. Schafer’s new method 
of artificial respiration. It is mainly the diaphragm, the large, flat, 
horizontal breathing muscle, which is hereby developed. 

In ordinary respirations a quantity of air always remains behind 
after exhaling, but it is a good thing to change as much of this as 
possible by forced expiration. If practised in the above-described 
manner, it will by and by come natural to the child to breathe deeply, 
and avoid holding its breath when practising forced muscular exer¬ 
cises (heavy weight-lifting, for instance), a matter of great importance 
to the heart. 

The child ought as early as possible—at any rate, when about five 
years old—to learn to keep its lips closed during the deep breathing, 
so that the breath is inhaled and exhaled only through the nostrils. 
Moreover, it is quite wrong to inhale through the nose and exhale 
through the mouth (this matter is more fully explained in my Ladies’ 
book). 

Whenever you see your child sleeping with its mouth wide open, 
you ought to close its lips gently, which can be done without waking it. 
If it cannot get air enough through the nose only, it should be operated 
upon, as there may be obstructions in the shape of adenoid growths. 

1 This is once less than usual, in order to establish a tendency to deeper breathing. 


25 


THE EIGHT MUSCULAR EXERCISES* 

Although these should be started only when the bath and the 
rubbing exercises have already been used for several weeks, I will 
nevertheless describe them here before the others, because the proper 
order of the exercises later on will be as follows:—i, Muscular exer¬ 
cises; 2, Bath and Drying; and 3, Rubbing exercises. But if it be 
more convenient to you, you may give the bath first, then the massage, 
and lastly, when the infant is again dressed, the muscular exercises. 
But in this case you must take the infant directly from the warm 
bed and undress it very quickly, because it must be quite warm when 
put into the bath. The same mode of procedure may be used even 
when the temperature is low, for older babes and infants who are not 
put into a warm bed again immediately after the exercising, but are 
allowed to crawl or run about. In very hot weather the infant may 
be naked during all the exercises, which then should be performed in 
the following order: Nos. n, 10, 1, 12, 2, 13, 3, 14, 4, 15, 5, 16, 6, 17, 7, 
18, 8, bath and drying, No. 9. After each muscular exercise the 
breathing pause apportioned to it should be given. If you have a sun¬ 
bathing place, a convenient place in the garden, on the verandah or on 
the roof, you may carry the infant out there and go through the whole 
System in the open air. If you are not so lucky, you can at all events 
bring the infant near the window, so that the rays of the sun may 
reach it. When there is no wind, the windows must be thrown wide 
open, a draught being produced if they are left merely ajar. I will 
only remark here that the eyes of the infant must not be directed 
towards the sun; its head must be kept in the shade during all the 
exercises in which it is resting on its back. 

To commence with, every movement must be repeated once only. 
Later on the number of repetitions can be increased until the proper 
number fixed for every single exercise is reached. According to the 
saying, “Milk for sucklings, strong meat for men,” so must everything 
else be nicely graduated. Almost all the muscular exercises can be 
done in different degrees of severity. The first degree is always the 
easiest, and adapted to suit the youngest or unpractised infants; the 
second is for more grown-up and practised ones, and so on. It is 
a general rule not to begin a higher degree until the full number of 
repetitions of the preceding simpler degree can be performed with¬ 
out strain. A few of the exercises must only be performed, even in 


26 


their first degree, with babes who are easily able to sit unsupported 
in an upright posture. 

Before beginning the exercises proper, the body, shoulders and 
arms of the infant should be straightened out by lifting the child as 
shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Any healthy babe of four weeks—some¬ 
times even still younger—will by itself take hold of your forefingers 
or thumbs and support its whole weight by them, as soon as these 
are placed within its hands. On the other hand, it may easily happen 
that even healthy infants of several months or years of age, having 
never before been exercised, will be unable to do this, because either 
they have lost this ability, with which they were born, or it has re¬ 
mained undeveloped. In the beginning you must, of course, only 
lift the babe about an inch from the pillow or mattress, and let it hang 
on to your thumbs or fingers only for a moment. But when the babe 
has grown stronger, this introductory exercise may last for several 
seconds and be repeated several times. You may even carry the in¬ 
fant from one place to another in this way, so long as you are always 
prepared to catch hold of the little hands quickly as soon as you feel 
their hold is loosening. Now for the exercise proper:— 

EXERCISE No. I.—Straightening of the body; 
then trunk-circling. 

The first degree .—Take a safe hold of the baby’s hands and let its 
seat rest on the mattress. The moment its hands grasp your fingers, 
the arms must be pulled gently upwards. Then swing the upper 
part of the body round (see Fig. 7) in horizontal circles, twice one 
way, and twice in the opposite direction. In this first degree, of 
course, only a very slight movement of the waist is performed, because 
the baby will always move its whole body a little, not resting firmly 
on its whole seat. The child will, however, soon learn to help, which 
will strengthen its joints and muscles. 

The second degree gives a very fair exercise to all the muscles round 
the waist. It must not be done until the infant’s back is strong 
enough to keep the upright sitting posture. By means of your right 
hand the thighs are held firmly down, while the infant must grasp 
your left fore-finger with its one hand and your long-man with the 
other hand; or you may grasp the one little wrist and let the infant 
take hold of your outstretched fore-finger with its other hand. And 
from this position a real trunk circling is now performed (see Figs. 8, 
9 and 10), first round one way, then the other way (twice each way). 
The circles must be as wide as possible, the trunk being swung well 
forwards, to the one side, backwards, and to the other side, again 




27 

forwards, and so on. When the infant has grown strong enough, you 
may place it near the edge of the table, whereby the little trunk can be 
swung much further backwards or downwards (see Fig. io). 

Breathing Exercise* The First Method. 

Exercise No. f. 


Fig. 7- 


Fig. 8. 


Fig. 5- 


Fig. 6. 



















28 


Exercise No* \ (continued). 



Fig. q. 



Fig. io. 


By the time you have carried out the first few Exercises as prescribed on 
page 19 you will probably have overcome any diffidence you may have 
felt on commencing the manipulation of your little subject, and will have 
realised that there is nothing at all harsh or difficult in the exercises; 
whilst, at the same time, the child will probably not only have readily 
submitted to the treatment, but will even have evinced pleasure in the at¬ 
tentions bestowed upon it. Do not, however, on this account, be tempted 
to exceed the instructions given as to the method or the duration of the 
exercises. 







29 


EXERCISE No* 2.—Leg-swinging. 

The first degree may be done with healthy children when they are 
five weeks old. Lay the baby on its back. It will then always 
kick its small curved legs up in the air. Take a rather firm hold 
round one knee of the infant with your right hand and round the 
other knee with your left. By grasping the knees instead of the 
ankles you will be better able to keep the legs straightened during 
the whole exercise. Bring the heels down upon the mattress. Then 
move the legs upwards and as far as possible towards the head, short 
of using any force whatever, and press the thighs gently against the 
abdomen. Then back again to the first position, the legs upon the 
mattress; and so on, alternately, several times, at most four double 
movements. It is of no use in the exercise to lift the baby’s seat up 
from the mattress. 



Fig. ii. Fig. 12 . 

The second degree .—When the infant has grown stronger, you may 
lay it with the legs outside the edge of the table, when they can be 
stretched much further downwards (see Fig. ii). And now you may 
exercise a fair pressure upon its abdomen (see Fig. 12). The infant 
will enjoy it, and it will strengthen the digestive organs. 

Breathing Exercise. The First Method. 











30 


EXERCISE No, 3,—Trunk-raising, face upwards. 

The first degree .—Place the infant on the mattress, so that it lies 
on its back. Take hold of both its hands with your one hand and 
grasp its knees with your other hand, in order to keep the legs straight 
and down during the exercise. Now straighten the infant’s arms, 
raise its trunk gently and bring it forward as far as possible, short of 
using any force (see Fig. 13), after which it is immediately brought 



Fig. 13. Fig. 14. 


back into the recumbent position. Repeat this double movement 
several times. This degree may be performed with babies who are 
even unable to sit up alone, because the weight of the body is 
almost completely supported when you keep it hanging by the 
arms. 

The second degree .—For infants who can sit without support. Take 
hold only of the one hand, but remember that you must hold the 
infant’s left hand with your right during half the number of repeti¬ 
tions, and its right with your left during the other half, in order to 
avoid any possible distortion. Or you may hold the left on one 
day and the right on the next, and so on. The trunk is now raised 





3i 


into a sitting position, well forward, and again lowered, without the 
whole weight being supported by you. The child may be enticed to 
raise itself partly by means of the abdominal muscles, and will also 
soon learn to help by pressing its free hand against the mattress or 
table flap (see Fig. 14). By-and-by it will grow strong enough 
to perform four repetitions. This movement is much better for the 
bowels than castor oil. 



Fig. 15. Fig. 16. 

The third degree .—This is composed almost of the same movements, 
but the child now lies upon your thighs, whereby it can lean further 
down behind by hollowing its back (see Fig. 15). When the child has 
grown taller, it may sit upon one of your thighs only, with its feet 
underneath your other thigh (see Fig. 16). But remember to change 
the position in conformity with the description given under the second 
degree. Consequently the child must sit half the time upon your 
right thigh, and on your left for the remainder. As the abdominal 
muscles grow stronger, the child will be able to do the movements al¬ 
most, if not entirely, by its own exertions. This exercise will ensure 
the child against any kind of hernia or rupture in later life. 

Breathing Exercise. The First Method. 





3 2 


EXERCISE No. 4.—Trunk-twisting with “side-bending.” 

The first degree .—For infants who can sit without support. Place 
the baby in a sitting posture, taking hold of the elbows in order to 
keep the arms straight the whole time. In this manner you can also 
move the upper part of its body more easily than if you were to take 
hold of its hands. Twist the upper part of the body round to the left 
(see Fig. 17) and then the whole way (correctly speaking half a turn) 
round to the right (see Fig. 18). Continue to make several such al¬ 
ternate twistings. 

The second degree .—When the infant can stand firmly on its own 
feet, the same twistings are performed in a standing posture (see Fig. 
19). 

The third degree .—When the infant has grown stronger, you may 
add the “side-bendings.” Every turn is then followed up by a bend¬ 
ing downwards and again raising upwards, performed while the child 
is in the twisted position (see Fig. 20). The whole of this movement 
may be performed four times. 

Breathing Exercise. The Second Method. 


33 


Exercise No. 4. 



Fig. 17. 



18. 



Fig. 20. 


3 


Fig. 19 


















34 


EXERCISE No* 5*—Arm-circling, or the “Wind-Mill.” 

The first degree .—For infants who can sit without support. Take 
hold of the little hands, straighten the arms out sideways and swing 
them round in wide circles. Both arms should be swung the same 
way round, but whilst one is moving forwards the other must at the 
same time move backwards (see Figs. 21 and 22). The hands will 
then always assume positions w'hich are diametrically opposed to each 
other. Explained in other words, both hands are always travelling 
round in the same direction, but one of them is always half a turn 
in advance of the other. Fig. 23 shows how the one arm is down 
while the other is up. By this method of rotating the arms you will 
never risk throwing the infant off its balance. If you were to draw 
both arms behind at once, the infant would, of course, immediately 
fall backwards; but when using my method it is quite possible by 
degrees to exercise a fairly strong pull on the arms, in order to make 
them straight and strong. As may be noticed, I have several exer¬ 
cises for straightening the arms and legs, but not one bending move¬ 
ment of the limbs themselves. Such exercises should have no place 
in a rational system for infants, who from the time they are born 
always have a tendency to keep their limbs curved, and nothing is 
more prejudicial to growth and development than such curved atti¬ 
tudes. 

Perform in the manner above described as many as four movements, 
then stop, and move the arms four times in the opposite direction. 

The second degree .—For infants who can stand upright. The arm- 
circling is performed in exactly the same manner as in the first degree. 
A short lunge will help the child to stand more firmly on its feet (see 
Fig. 24) during this “wind-mill.” 

Breathing Exercise. The Second Method. 


35 


Exercise No, 5. 




Fig. 22. 


Fig. 2i. 




P 




- x :! 





Fig. 24. 


Fig. 23 

























36 


EXERCISE No* 6*—Leg-circling* 

The first degree may be done with healthy children when five weeks 
old. Lay the baby on its back. Take hold of its left knee with your 
right hand and place your left palm lightly on its right thigh in order 
to keep the leg down (see Fig. 25). Then move the left leg round in 
as wide circles as possible, short of using any force whatever, once the 
one way, and once in the opposite direction, after which the other leg 
is exercised in the same manner. When doing this, you must of course 
either change your hands about, or place yourself behind the head of 
the baby. Then 1 X 2 X 2, or 4 circles in all, will have been per¬ 
formed. 

The second degree .—When the infant has grown older, you may 
let it lie quite near the edge of the table, by which the lower half of 
each circle can be made much larger (see Fig. 26). You may grasp 
the little foot instead of the knee, and place your other hand on the 
infant’s abdomen, as shown in Figs. 27 and 28. By-and-by you may 
exercise a fairly strong pull on the leg, performing in all 2 X 2 X 2, 
or 8 circles. 

Breathing Exercise. The First Method. 


37 


Exercise No* 6* 



Fig. 25. 


Fig. 26. 



Fig. 27 


Fig. 28 






























38 


EXERCISE No. 7.—“The Swallow ” with trunk-raising, face 
downwards. 

The first degree is composed of two preliminary movements to the 
exercise proper, and may be tried as soon as the infant’s neck is strong 
enough to support the head. Turn the infant round on its stomach, 
take hold of the flanks gently with your palms, and lift the little body 
up from the mattress (see Fig. 29). It will soon learn to hollow its 
back and to raise its head well up; later on also to straighten its arms 
out sideways and backwards, and its legs behind. Keep it in this 
position for some seconds, after which lay it down again with a little 
pillow under its head, in order to make a little rest for the neck. This 
exercise may be repeated up to three times. The intervals are used 
to perform the second preliminary movements—viz., to bring the little 
arms backwards—very gently to commence with (see Fig. 30). After 
some practice the arms may be made to cross each other. 

The second degree .—Place the infant, face downwards, upon your 
thighs. Supporting the breast with your right hand and keeping 
the legs in their position with your left, let the trunk sink downwards 
(see Fig. 31). Then raise the trunk up again to the position shown in 
Fig. 32. The infant will by-and-by learn to do the movement partly 
by itself, hollowing the back and throwing the head and arms well 
back. This double movement may be repeated up to four times. 

When the child has grown taller, you may try the third degree , in 
which it should rest upon your right thigh only, with its heels put 
under your left thigh. It is now the abdomen, not the breast, which 
is supported to commence with by your right hand (see Fig. 33), but 
otherwise the movements are the same as in the foregoing degree. 
The muscles of the back and loins will, later on, however, become so 
strong that the child will be able to do these trunk raisings altogether 
by its own exertions, that is, without either breast or abdomen being 
supported (see Fig. 34). Here it is unnecessary to change about as 
described under Exercise No. 3, the second and third degrees. 

Breathing Exercise. The Second Method. 


39 


Exercise No* 7* 




Fig. 33 


Fig. 34 




















40 


EXERCISE No, 8,—“The Hand-Barrow,” Walking on Hands, 
and making “The Bridge,” 

The first degree consists also of two preliminary movements, the 
first of which may be commenced when the baby is five weeks old. 
Lay it on its stomach and take hold of its legs round the knees, whereby 
you will be better able to keep them straightened. Then raise the 
legs and partly the abdomen from the mattress, as shown in Fig. 35. 
This compels the child to bend or rather hollow its back a little. Of 
course it must be done in a gentle manner. After a moment the legs 



Fig. 35- Fig. 36. 


must again be lowered and laid down on the mattress. Let the child 
rest for a few seconds, after which the lower part of the body is raised 
once more, and again lowered as before. This double movement may 
be repeated as many as three times. The second preliminary move¬ 
ment should not be attempted until some weeks later. While the in¬ 
fant rests on its back, put your hand underneath the loins and lift 
the little body, thereby forcing the back to become hollow (see Fig. 
36). Keep it in this position only for a few seconds. Repeat this no 
more than three times, with intervals of rest. 








41 


The second degree (“The Hand-Barrow”).—When the infant has 
become strong enough to support the upper part of its body by means 
of its arms, you may grasp its ankles or feet, raise them well up in the 
air, and then draw the body backwards, so that the hands only drag 
on the mattress (see Fig. 37). Having reached the end of the mat¬ 
tress, turn round and give the child a short rest. Then drag it in the 
same manner to the opposite end, rest, and repeat the exercise up to 
three times. 



Fig. 37. Fig. 38. 


The third degree (“Walking on Hands” and “The Bridge”).— 
When the child has grown still stronger and is about two years old, 
it should learn to walk forwards on its hands, the head being well 
raised and the back well hollowed. Now you may take hold just 
above the knees, which may then be bent. After every five seconds 
of exercise, you must give the child a short rest, sitting or standing, 
that is, with head erect. In this manner the exercise may be repeated 
up to three times. Later on the child should carry its whole weight 
itself, you merely assisting it to preserve its balance by steadying it 
with one hand (see Fig. 38). 

As soon as the child is strong and supple enough, each walking 
on the hands should be supplemented by a “Bridge” (see Fig. 39). 








42 


This is performed simply by turning the body over. At first the 
child may support itself on its head, hands and feet. Later on only 
by its hands and feet, or by its head and feet (see Fig. 40). 

Breathing Exercise* The Second Method. 



Fig. 39. Fig. 40. 


THE BATH* 

I need not say much concerning this. Exercising with babies has 
been up to the present rather a rarity, which I am for that very 
reason anxious to teach people; but the bathing of babies is thor¬ 
oughly known and mastered in every well-arranged home. 

For any other information which may be required, I refer the 
reader to “My System,” in which I have stated that a baby’s bath 
should be from 104° down to 89° Fahr. the first year; and to “The 
Fresh Air Book,” in which I give some rules for bathing in a chapter 
on the hardening of children (pages 117-121). 







43 


THE MASSAGE, 

Or the Ten Rubbing Exercises* 

The well-known masseur Mr. Harry Andrews writes in his excellent 
book “Massage and Training” the following lines:—“I have said 
that massage is the most important item of an athlete’s training, and 
it is that for various reasons; not only because it brisks up a man’s 
circulation, cultivates the finest quality of muscle, and tunes his 
system as nothing else will do, but also because I know of nothing else 
which will keep either a man or a woman in such perpetual health, for 
its health-preserving qualities are even greater than its muscle and 
tissue cultivating properties.” You may be sure that what this great 
expert tells us about massage and rubbing for men and women is also 
in the highest degree applicable to children. 

As you will notice, I distinguish, in the description of the following 
exercises, between three forms of massage—viz., rubbing, stroking, 
and kneading. 

The special “rubbing” is done with the same force, to and fro or 
up and down, and is performed with the palms of the hands or with 
the underside of the forearms. The latter is especially to be recom¬ 
mended if the skin of your palms or fingers be hard or rough. You 
must, of course, take care not to hurt the infant’s skin, which is often 
very sensitive. You should also be careful to keep your finger-nails 
cut very short. 

The “stroking” of the limbs is always performed by means of the 
hands. While one of your hands takes hold of the child’s hand or 
foot, your other hand encircles its wrist or ankle and strokes the limb 
along its entire length, always rather vigorously when going towards 
the body, and very gently when returning to the child’s hand or foot. 

“Kneading” is done by grasping with the whole hand the tissues 
to be manipulated, lifting them somewhat and pinching or squeezing 
them lightly and gently with an alternate tightening and loosening 
of the hold. As the flesh of the non-practised child is usually very 
sensitive, great care should be exercised to make the manipulations 
light at first. Do not use vaseline, lanoline or other emollients when 
massaging babies; it is of no use, seeing that during the first days 
you rub but lightly, while it is always dirty and difficult to remove 
satisfactorily. 


44 


The most natural time for the massage is after the bath. But of 
course the child must first be dried thoroughly with a towel before 
the rubbing is commenced. The temperature of the room should 
be moderate; not so low that the child shivers, and not so high as to 
cause it to perspire. Any dampness or moisture on the skin will 
render it liable to be rubbed raw—that is, if it be not yet sufficiently 
hardened. 

No breathing pauses are prescribed between these rubbing exercises 
for infants; firstly, because these exercises are not actually performed 
by the infant, which lies quietly all the time, needing no extra amount 
of air; and secondly, because the little one might perhaps catch a 
cold during such pauses when no rubbing is being performed to ensure 
warmth. The self-massage in my rubbing exercises for adults and 
elder children, on the contrary, always produces sufficient warmth for 
the breathing pauses, even in a rather cold room or in the open air. 

While the muscular exercises should be started only when the baby 
is about five weeks old, the massage may very well be commenced 
when the first bath is taken, that is, on the very first day of the in¬ 
fant’s life. To begin with, only a few manipulations on the body and 
limbs, lasting only a quarter of a minute, should be done. Increase 
the time from day to day, so that finally, w r hen the first two months 
have passed, all the ten rubbing exercises may be performed as sys¬ 
tematically and thoroughly as described later on. 

As you may notice, several of these exercises have also various de¬ 
grees, but these are not degrees of difficulty, strength or effect, as with 
the muscular exercises. The degrees are here arranged for a change, 
because older babies or infants perhaps would become impatient at 
having to remain in a recumbent position during all the rubbing exer¬ 
cises; further, because it is possible in one case to perform two exer¬ 
cises at once, thereby economising time; and also, because the rub¬ 
bing is better performed when the child is sitting or standing. 


45 


EXERCISE No* 9*—Rubbing of feet, and front and sides of neck* 

Resting on the back. Grasp both ankles with the one hand, rub 
the upper surfaces and then the soles of both feet simultaneously 
with the palm of your other hand (see Figs. 41 and 42). When the 
infant has grown bigger it will be better to rub one foot at a time, and 
then give the inside also a few rubbings. 



rig. 42. 


The neck is, to begin with, massaged only with your fingers, the 
thumb working very gently with the forefinger; later on, use more 
fingers and a little more force, but not against the larynx. The per¬ 
formance of the whole exercise must not last longer than 20 seconds. 
If there has been no bath and rubbing with the towel, you must re¬ 
member to change Exercises Nos. 9 and n about, thus commencing 
with No. 11, which is an excellent one for warming the principal parts 
of the body. 















46 


EXERCISE No* JO.—Kneading and stroking of arms and 
shoulders. 

Resting on the back. Knead by degrees the right or left forearm, 
elbow, upper arm, and shoulder with both your hands (see Fig. 43). 
Then grasp the little hand with your one hand and stroke the arm 



Fig. 43 - 



Fig. 44. 


and shoulder to and fro five times with your other hand (see Fig. 44). 
Use some force when stroking towards the body. After which the 
other arm and shoulder must be treated in the same way. The dura¬ 
tion of this exercise to be 30 seconds. 












47 


EXERCISE No* \ U —Robbing of front and back of trunk 
lengthwise* 

The first degree .—Lay the infant on its right side, because then the 
heart will work more freely. Rub with long strokes the little body 
up and down with your palms; while one hand is going one way the 
other moves in the opposite direction (see Fig. 45). Perform 16 move¬ 
ments, lasting 10 seconds. 



Fig. 46. Fig. 47. 


The second degree .—For older infants who want to sit up. Your 
one palm rubs upwards while the other rubs downwards (see Fig. 46). 

The third degree .—Standing (see Fig. 47). The same movements 
as in the foregoing degree, except that now the palm massaging the 
back should rub down over the seat as well. 







43 


EXERCISE No. 12.—Robbing across front of trunk. 

The first degree .—Resting on the back. Rub with both palms 
across the entire breast and abdomen in zig-zag fashion, going from 
the throat to the pelvis and back again, the hands moving in opposite 
directions (see Fig. 48): 20 movements, 9 seconds. 

The second degree and the third degree are performed respectively 
in a sitting and a standing posture (see Figs. 49 and 50). But now 
your one palm rubs the front of the body while the other rubs the 
back, which constitutes a combination of the Exercises Nos. 12 and 
13, these two exercises being performed simultaneously, except in 
their first degrees. The forty movements must, of course, be per¬ 
formed during the 19 seconds allowed for these exercises. Remember 
to rub the back of the neck also, and in the third degree to rub down 
and across the seat as well. 


49 


< 



Fig. 48. 



Fig. 49. 


Fig. So- 


4 















5 ° 


EXERCISE No* 13.—Robbing across back, loins, and seat. 

The first degree .—Resting on the stomach. Rub with both palms 
across the entire back of the body in zig-zag fashion, beginning upon 
the back of the neck, going down over the seat and back again, finish¬ 
ing on the neck. The hands must rub in opposite directions (see 
Fig. 51): 20 movements, 10 seconds. 



Fig. 51. 


The second degree and the third degree have already been performed 
simultaneously with the corresponding degrees of Exercise No. 12 
(see Figs. 49 and 50). 



5i 


EXERCISE No. 14 .—Robbing across sides of trunk and hips. 

The first degree .—Resting on the stomach. Place yourself at the 
infant’s feet and rub across its left flank and hip with your left palm, 
and at the same time across the right side with your right, moving the 
hands in small zig-zags from the armpits to the upper parts of the 



Fig. 52. 



Fig. 53. Fig. 54. 


thighs and back again, the one hand working upwards while the other 
rubs downwards (see Fig. 52): 20 movements, 9 seconds. 

The second degree and the third degree are performed respectively in 
a sitting and a standing posture, as illustrated by Figs. 53 and 54. 
But now the hands, of course, do not work upwards and downwards, 
but to and fro in opposite directions. 









5 2 


EXERCISE No. 15.—Kneading and stroking of legs. 

Resting on the back. Knead by degrees the right or left calf, 
knee, and thigh with both your hands (see Fig. 55). Then grasp the 
little foot with your one hand and stroke with your o'ther hand the 



Fig. 55- Fig. 56. 


little leg (see Fig. 56) to and fro five times in its entire length, as ex¬ 
plained in the chapter of general remarks on massage (p. 43). After 
which the other leg must be treated in the same manner. Time: 40 
seconds. 






53 


EXERCISE No. 16.—Rubbing of sides of trunk and hips 
lengthwise. 

The first degree .—Resting on the back. Place yourself at the in¬ 
fant’s head and rub with long strokes the flanks and hips with your 
palms, or, still better, your forearms (see Fig. 57). The hands or 
arms must move in opposite directions: 20 movements, 12 seconds. 



Fig. 59 - 


The second degree and the third degree are performed respectively in 
a sitting and a standing posture, as illustrated by Figs. 58 and 59. 
Now the hands, of course, work upwards and downwards in opposite 
directions. 










54 


EXERCISE No. 17.—Kneading of the stomach. 

Resting on the back. How to knead is described in a previous 
chapter (p. 43); but here it is not only the muscles, but mainly the 
intestines upon which you should try to act. You must, of course, 



Fig. 60. 


knead very gently to begin with. But later on, when the abdominal 
muscles have grown stronger and the infant strains them, you must 
knead vigorously in order to act upon the intestines (see Fig. 60). 
The child will greatly enjoy the treatment. Time: 10 seconds. 



55 


EXERCISE No* 18 

is a repetition of Exercise No. n. Here also in the first degree the 
infant must lie on its right side, to allow freer action of the heart. 
Exercise No. n is performed once more, just before the infant is 
dressed, because it is the best exercise of all for restoring warmth. 


If the times allotted for each of the ten rubbing exercises be added 
together, it will be found that the whole amounts to 160 seconds only. 
The five alterations in the various resting positions can be easily done 
in about 20 seconds in all. The time occupied by the entire mas¬ 
sage, therefore, should be only 3 minutes. 

If you have plenty of time and wish to give your child still more 
massage—which, by-the-bye, would be a splendid thing to do—it 
would be better to go through the complete series of rubbing exercises 
again rather than perform each single exercise twice over. The reason 
for this is that some parts of the body would perhaps become too cooled 
during the longer intervals when not being rubbed, which might pos¬ 
sibly cause the child to take cold. 



5*5 


Exercise Games. 

Immediately after having gone through the System, or after being 
massaged, the child, when dressed, should be rewarded by means of 
one or more of the following exercises, which have other advantages 
besides that of providing pleasure merely: they strengthen the in¬ 
fant’s grip, invigorate all its joints, straighten its limbs, and develop 
several muscles, encouraging, moreover, boldness and assurance, and 
serving to counteract any tendency to giddiness. They may be varied 
ad infinitum , and the expert and practised child-exerciser will always 
be able to invent new ones. I will content myself with giving a few 
examples of these exercises. 


The See-Saw Swing* 

Grasp the infant’s hands with your left and its feet with your right. 
Then swing the child to and fro, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 61). 
This may be attempted, in a very gentle manner of course, with quite 
young babies. When the child has grown stronger you may grasp 
it by one of its wrists only, while the other little hand takes hold of 
your outstretched forefinger. And when it can stand upright safely 
you may finish the exercise by balancing the infant upon your right 
palm, as high up in the air as possible (Fig. 62). 


The Merry-Go-Round* 

Take hold of the child’s hands or feet and swing it round in big 
circles, you yourself turning round in the centre. Start and finish 
always very gently. When performed with very young children you 
should have a mattress or big pillow on the floor, on which to place the 
child after the exercise. The face may be turned upwards or down¬ 
wards; consequently there are in all four different modes. The photo¬ 
graphs illustrate two of these (Figs. 63 and 64). The easiest mode is 
to hold the hands, the infant’s face turned downwards. When taking 
hold of the small hands you must take care that the infant grasps your 
little fingers when the Merry-go-round is performed face downwards, 
and your forefingers when face upwards. In either case, of course, 
a firm hold should be taken round the child’s wrists. Let the infant 
swing its legs freely in the air or make long flying steps on the ground, 
which it is bound to enjoy thoroughly when older. Swing first round 


57 

Exercise Games 



Fig. 61. Fig. 62. 

The See-Saw Swing. 



Fig. 63 


The Merry-Go-Round. 


Fig. 64 



















58 


the one way a few times and then the other way, but never for any 
length of time without pause. Support the infant after swinging if 
dizzy. 


The High Swing* 

Two different modes, the face being turned upwards or downwards. 
Take hold of the hands in just the same way as in the foregoing exer¬ 
cise. The photographs (Figs. 65 and 66) show clearly how it is to be 
performed. Fig. 65 shows the start, and Fig. 66 the highest point 
in the exercise when performed with the child face downwards. If 
the “swing” is performed face upwards, the little body must, before 
the start, be placed outside and not between your legs. The start 
and finish of the high “swing” must be done lightly, by gradually in¬ 
creasing and gradually stopping the impetus, in order not to strain 
the infant’s joints. 


The Somersault* 

Here also are two methods, viz., a backward and a forward, of 
which the first is the easier, and may be performed as soon as the 
infant can sit in an upright posture. It is performed in the following 
manner:—You and the child must face each other; then take hold of 
its right upper arm with your left hand (with your fingers pointing 
downwards), and of its left upper arm with your right (fingers pointing 
upwards). Then swing the child up into a sitting posture upon your 
left shoulder (see Fig. 67). While it is sitting here you must shift 
your right hand from “fingers pointing upwards” to “fingers pointing 
downwards.” From this position the backward somersault is per¬ 
formed as shown in Fig. 68, after which the child is placed again on 
the floor. You may also, from the position on the shoulder, lift the 
child up on to your head, walk a little round thus, and then let it do 
the same somersault from the head. 

The forward somersault is performed in the following manner:— 
Let the child stride, stoop, and put its arms through between its legs. 
Stoop over the child and take hold of the small hands as shown in 
Fig. 69. Then lift the child until it can turn round and finish in the 
position shown in Fig. 70, by which means the somersault will have 
been performed. It is necessary to lift the child well up before you 
let it turn over, in order that it may not strike its head against the 
floor. 





Exercise Games (Continued)* 


Fig. 67. 


The Backward Somersault. 


Fig. 68. 


Fig. 65. 


The High Swing. 


Fig. 66. 


Fig, 69. 


The Forward Somersault. 


Fig. 70. 
















6o 


The Special Neck Exercises* 

Even on the score of health, there is no need to do these exercises 
every day. Too strong a neck is neither beautiful nor necessary— 
unless one is ambitious to become a champion wrestler. But it is a 
good idea to do these exercises now and then, because they help to 
promote a good carriage. 

The first degree, for children who can sit in an upright posture.— 
Place the little one on your knees, keep the little body stationary 
with your left arm, take your watch or any other object likely to in¬ 
terest the child, and hold it alternately on the right and left side of 
the child’s head; then high up above and down again, thereby making 
the little one turn or bend the head in the various directions (see Fig. 
7 1 )- 

The second degree .—When the child is old enough to understand 
what you tell it, you may perform the various bendings and turnings 
described in my books for adults. But it should be your hand, not 
the child’s own hands, which must resist the movements of the little 
head. You should ask the child every time if it is strong enough to 
bend or turn its head despite your attempts to resist it. And you 
should, of course, allow it to do so, and then not be sparing of praise. 
Fig. 72 shows the child starting to bend its head forwards against your 
hand. You may also do these exercises exactly in the opposite way, 
now telling the child that you are going to try to bend or turn its head, 
while it must try to resist you. You must, of course, let it win once 
now and again, pretending that you have not the strength to move its 
head. Fig. 73 shows the exerciser pretending to try to bend the child’s 
head forwards. 

Testing the Strength of the Neck .—Now and then you may test the 
strength of the child’s neck, and several of the body muscles as well, 
in the following way:—Place your one hand below the back of the 
child’s head and the other hand underneath its legs. Then raise the 
little outstretched body in a horizontal position. The greater the 
distance between your hands the more severe is the test for the child. 
Later you may place your hand under the heels, as shown in Fig. 74. 


6i 


Special Neck Exercises* 



Fig. 73 


Fig. 74 
















































































































































































































































































































































SECTION II. 

MY SYSTEM” FOR OLDER CHILDREN. 


SECTION II 


“MY SYSTEM” 

FOR 

OLDER CHILDREN* 


General Remarks and Rules* 

Each exercise is arranged in degrees of difficulty, according to the 
strength and practised skill of the pupil. The first degree is always 
the easiest, the second degree is more difficult, the third still more, and 
so on. 

It should be made a rule never to commence practising a more 
severe degree until the easier degree has been thoroughly mastered and 
can be done the prescribed number of times without any strain. It 
is much better, and looks better as well, to perform an easy degree 
correctly than a difficult one incorrectly. 

The normal number of times which each movement has to be re¬ 
peated at each daily performance is—as soon as the “System” has 
been learned—always the same for all the different degrees of the same 
exercise. The difference between an easy and a more difficult degree, 
then, consists in the greater intensity of movement, not in the larger 
number of repetitions. In this manner neither is the memory taxed 
nor the time necessary for the whole performance increased. It is a 
matter of course that beginners should make only very few repeti¬ 
tions of each exercise, and should only by degrees increase their num¬ 
ber until the normal number is reached. On the other hand, strong 
boys or girls may do many more repetitions of any exercise with ad¬ 
vantage if they are so minded. If only the rules regarding correct 
breathing are properly observed during the whole time, such a course 
will always be of benefit to them. 

The rubbing exercises have not, as a rule, so many degrees of se¬ 
verity or difficulty. The different degrees will come quite naturally 
by themselves, seeing that the pupil will gradually grow stronger, and 
will then be able to grasp his limbs and stroke his skin with greater 

64 



65 


force. In the following description of the rubbing exercises I have 
for this reason found it unnecessary to discriminate between these 
“natural” degrees of force. Never exercise immediately after a meal; 
at least one hour, or better still two, should be allowed to intervene be¬ 
fore exercising. 

Girls should not perform the severest degree of Exercises Nos. i, 
4> 5> 7> 8 and n, unless they are very strong and have been exercised 
together with their brothers from their earliest childhood. And the 
three last degrees of Exercise No. 3 should, as far as girls are concerned, 
be done with the hands clasped behind the head. Further, the rub¬ 
bing Exercises Nos. 11, 15, 17 and 18 should be done as described in 
my book for ladies, as soon as the girls have reached a certain age. 

To illustrate how to do the exercises in a correct way, I have in this 
second part of my book used photographs of my two eldest boys ( lb , 
13 years of age, and Per, 9P2), 1 and in a few instances of a young 
lady performer of the System, 12 years of age. 

And to illustrate the mistakes which are often made, because the 
text of my books is not always sufficiently studied nor the advice given 
always followed, I have used a series of photographs from a Board 
School in Breslau (Germany), where a few years ago “My System” 
was introduced. Of course these boys were anxious to do their best 
in the exercises, and some of their movements are almost quite correct. 
And for the same reason all the various mistakes, being involuntary, 
are absolutely genuine. These photographs, therefore, are of more 
value and interest than would have been other photographs in which 
children had been placed intentionally in incorrect poses. All these 
Breslau boys were between 13 and 14 years of age. 

1 In Figs. 77, 78, 83, 88, 93, 99, 101, 102, and 103, the boys are only n and 
years of age. 


5 


66 


THE BREATHING EXERCISES* 

These are described first, because they are the most important, and 
should never be forgotten or omitted. A breathing exercise, consist¬ 
ing of at least two deep respirations, should invariably succeed the per¬ 
formance of each of the other exercises. And it should always be 
immediately after, because it is just then that the lungs and heart need 
as much air as possible. 

When during the foregoing exercise the arms have been kept straight, 
or if their extensors have .been used in a tiring manner, then the deep 
breathing should be done with the hands resting on the hips (Fig. 75). 
But if the arms have had a rest during the movements of body or 
legs, or if their flexors have been fairly well used, then the arms 
should be outstretched during these special respirations, being raised 
sideways and forced as far backwards as possible during each inhala¬ 
tion, and again lowered during each exhalation (Fig. 76). Conse¬ 
quently the deep breathings are performed with hands on hips after 
Exercises Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, and after the severest degrees of Exercises 
Nos. 1 and 3; while they are performed with arms outstretched 
after Exercises Nos. 2 and 6, after the easy degrees of Nos. 1 and 3, 
and after all the rubbing exercises. 

The first degree. —The pupil stands quietly on his feet during the 
respirations. (See Bror in Figs. 75 and 76.) 

The second degree. —The heels should be raised during the inhalation 
(see Per in Figs. 75 and 76) and lowered again wdien exhaling. 

The third degree—Two deep respirations are combined with heel¬ 
raising and one deep knee-bending, the heels kept together. An in¬ 
halation is taken each time the body is raised, and an exhalation each 
time it is again lowered. In Fig. 76 Per shows how the arms and fin¬ 
gers are outstretched when inhaling, and Ih shows how the fists are 
clenched when exhaling during the knee-bending. 


67 

The Breathing Exercises* 



Fig. 75 - 



Fig. 76. 













68 


THE EIGHT MUSCULAR EXERCISES. 

These may be introduced by a moderate stretching of the whole 
body, raising the arms above the head with fingers interlaced. It 
is done correctly if the joints of the shoulders, elbows or wrists crack 
a little. Instead of this simple stretching, the pupil may “make a 
span” or a “bridge,” as done respectively by lb and Per in Fig. 77. 
The best way to make the “bridge” is to rest upon the hands or head 
and then allow the body to go over backwards. In the beginning the 
teacher should support the pupil’s body, holding his hand underneath 
the hollowed back. 

Fig. 78 shows the boys practising with head downwards. 


EXERCISE No. U —Trunk-circling. 

The upper part of the body is swung five times round one way, and 
then five times round in the opposite direction. An inhalation should 
be taken during the backward half of each circle, and an exhalation 
performed during the forward half. The spine must not be curved, 
but should be kept straight or hollowed, even when the trunk is leaned 
forwards. 

The first degree .—The hands during the trunk circling should rest 
on the hips, with elbows drawn well back. (See Bror in Figs. 79 
and 80.) 

The second degree .—The hands are placed behind the head (see Per 
in the same Figs.). Here also the elbows must be held well back, a 
point which is often forgotten, particularly during the forward 
leaning. 

The third degree .—With arms outstretched above the head, fingers 
interlaced and wrists sharply curved (see lb in the same Figs.). The 
arms must be held all the time close against the ears. It is a great 
mistake to lower the chin and drop the arms while swinging forward. 

Breathing Exercise t with arms outstretched after first and second 
degree, and with hands on hips after the third degree. 


6g 

Exercise No* I* 



Fig. 77. Fig. 78. 



Fig. 79. 



Fig. 80 














7o 


EXERCISE No* 2 *—Leg-swinging* 

Swing one leg quickly forwards and backwards, 13 short double 
swings and 3 long ones being made without pause, and then swing the 
other leg in exactly the same manner. The swings or kicks must be 
uninterrupted in order to develop the muscles on the loins and hips, 
and in the lower part of the back. Respiration must not, of course, 
keep time with the quickness of the movements, but should be slow 
and steady during the whole performance. 

The first degree .—The pupil supports himself with one hand, placing 
the other on the hip. 

The second degree .—The hands are placed as in the first degree, but 
the pupil now stands upon a footstool, so that the instep of the swing¬ 
ing leg can be straightened out. 

The third degree .—Without any support; both hands on hips. 
When performed in this manner, the exercise also serves to cultivate 
balance. 

Fig. 81 shows Per making a short backward kick in the first degree 
and Ih a long backward kick in the third degree, while in Fig. 82 
they are making the corresponding forward kicks. 

Breathing Exercise, with arms outstretched. 


7 1 

Exercise No* 2 




81. 





mm - 




Fig. 82 
























7 2 


EXERCISE No* 3*—Trunk-raising* 

From a sitting position the upper part of the body is lowered until 
the back of the head touches the floor, when the upper part of the 
body is again to be raised. This double movement to be performed 
12 times. The feet should always have a firm hold underneath some 
article of furniture, or one child may hold another’s feet down while he 
is exercising. Inhale always when the trunk is being lowered, and 
exhale during the upward movement. The pupil should lean well 
forward when coming to the sitting position. 

The first degree. —Weak children may place their hands on the floor 
both when going downwards and when rising, and they may rest on 
the entire back when down. 

The second degree. —With hands on hips, the body resting on the 
entire back when down. 

The third degree. —With hands behind head, the body resting on the 
entire back when down. The elbows must be held well back, even 
when the trunk is leaning forwards. 

The fourth degree. —With 'arms outstretched, hands above head. 
But now only the back of the head and fingers should touch the floor 
when the upper part of the body is lowered. When rising, a mistake 
commonly made is to throw the arms forward; the trunk, however, 
should be lifted by the abdominal muscles and not by a jerk of the 
arms. 

The fifth degree. —The pupil is seated on a footstool and performs 
the same movements as in the fourth degree. 

The sixth degree. —As in the foregoing, but seated on an ordinary 
chair. Girls may omit the fourth degree, and should perform the 
fifth and sixth degrees with hands behind head. 

In Fig. 83, lb is performing in the third degree and Per in the sixth, 
the latter with 5-lb. dumb-bells in his hands. Without dumb-bells 
he can do this severe degree 50 (fifty) times without pause. In Fig. 84 
the little girl is performing in the second degree. In Fig. 85 the 
Breslau boys show how the fourth degree should not be done. The 
arms and head should be held straight up, in a line with the upper part 
of the body. 

Breathing Exercise t with arms outstretched after the first three 
degrees, and hands on hips after the last three. 


73 

Exercise No* 3* 



Fig. 83. 



Fig. 84. 



Fig. 85 
















74 


EXERCISE No* 4*—Trank-twisting with “side-bending*” 

The upper part of the body should be twisted half round (to the 
right and left alternately), ten complete movements in all being made. 
The feet must be planted firmly on the floor, the toes pointing straight 
to the front; the twisting is done from the waist, not by moving the 
feet. 

The first degree .—Raise the outstretched arms, with hands clenched, 
until they are in a line with the shoulders, and inhale each time the 
trunk is twisted to either side; drop the arms again and exhale each 
time the trunk is twisted through the quarter circle back again to the 
front. 

The second degree .—The arms should be outstretched sideways the 
whole time. The breath must be inhaled while the trunk is twisted 
through the half-circle from one side to the other, and exhaled dur¬ 
ing each twist in the opposite direction. The movements are now 
done a little more quickly. 

The third degree .—A downward “side-bending” should be made 
each time the trunk has been twisted either to the right or to the left, 
the trunk being immediately raised again each time into the upright 
but twisted position. The clenched hands should alternately touch 
the floor between the feet. Now inhale as the trunk is raised and 
twisted round, and exhale during each “side-bending” downwards. 
At first the pupil may bend one knee a little—the knee corresponding 
to the lowered hand—each time a “side-bending” is done; but later 
on, when the body is more pliable, the legs should be kept straight. 

The fourth degree .—Strong boys with much practice, and in excep¬ 
tional cases girls, may raise and twist the trunk quickly, w T ith powerful 
jerks, but the “side-bending” during the exhalation must always be 
done rather slowly. Strong individuals may inhale briskly, but the 
exhaling should never be done very quickly. 

Figs. 86 and 87 show the twisted positions of the trunk in the first 
and second degrees. Fig. 88 shows the correct “side-bending” in the 
twisted positions. In Fig. 89 the Breslau boys show various phases 
of this exercise. Nearly all of them have moved their feet out of the 
correct position. No. 1 has not twisted his trunk sufficiently; No. 4 
is quite correct in this respect, but his head and feet are wrong. 

Breathing Exercise, with hands on hips. 


83 


Exercise No. 8. 







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Fig. 99. 



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84 

body so that it resembles the rocker of a rocking-horse, as shown in 
Fig. ioi. 

Breathing Exercise, with hands on hips.—Even strong and 
practised children should never in this case do the heel-raising or 
knee-bending, because the bath usually follows immediately after¬ 
wards, and it is therefore of importance that the heart should be 
allowed to regain its normal composure. For this purpose three 
times as many deep respirations as in the ordinary breathing pauses 
(that is six at least) should be taken. 


THE BATH AND DRYING. 

There is hardly any necessity for me to say anything in an English 
book concerning the bathing of older children. I will content myself, 
therefore, with a few words explanatory of the illustrations. 

Fig. 102 shows lb using a little bath which may be carried in a 
handbag when travelling, or in the knapsack when boys are out 
scouting. It consists merely of a square piece of waterproof with a 
strap in each corner. It is laid upon a frame of four thin collapsible 
pieces of zinc, which are also easy to carry. But even these can be 
dispensed with, as four pieces of wood or four ordinary walking-stocks 
will prove just as serviceable. The whole apparatus should be spread 
on the floor in front of the washstand, one edge of the waterproof being 
placed just underneath the front of it in order to catch any drops 
falling down from the marble top. After the bath, the corners of the 
waterproof must be gathered together by the straps, and the water 
carried away or poured out into a bucket or basin, as shown in Fig. 103. 

In Fig. 104 a Breslau boy is using a very convenient hand shower- 
bath, while his four comrades illustrate various phases during the 
drying of the body. 



THE CHILDREN OF THE VIKINGS. 

Little “Bror” and his Brothers. 1 

Despite the protests of my older boys, I am going to let their de¬ 
scription appear in a “Baby” Magazine. They think that The 
Baby’s World refers simply to tiny children, and are indignant, be¬ 
cause they say they are not babies but boys. 

Of course, in their own eyes these little fellows of 6 to io years of 
age are not babies. They figure in this paper because their history 
and measurements show that it is really wise to treat baby Bror in 
the same way as his bigger brothers were treated. 

Ib and Per were brought up in the same way as the boys of the Vi¬ 
kings, who lived and flourished 1,100 years ago on the Isle of Iceland. 
Of course, there are some modifications resulting from civilisation. 

I will shortly outline the principles on which the children of olden 
days were treated, according to the Sagas and their modern interpre¬ 
ters, such as Dr. Bjorn Bjornson, author of “The Physical Culture of 
the Northmen in the Olden Times.” 

It must be remembered that however much purely physical qualities 
were appreciated, the education was not entirely one-sided, since it is 
related that Egil Skalla Grimsson was rewarded by his parents with 
ducks’ eggs and snail shells when at 3 years of age he composed his 
first poem. 

For the first few years of babyhood, of course, amusement was the 
main thing. The children played with golden rings and brass horses, 
but the boys of the Vikings developed more rapidly than modern 
boys, and tired sooner of unreal and unmanly amusements. 

When Arngrim, in the Viga-Glum Saga, was 6 years of age, he pre¬ 
sented his brother Steinolf with his brass horse. He had got a living 
Iceland pony, and was ashamed to own a toy horse. 

He had already begun to understand the tales of the Vikings when 
they returned from their military expeditions, and sat down in the 
hall and related their great achievements. 

Arngrim was dazzled by their shining arms and glittering coats of 
mail. His heart swelled with enthusiasm and desire to imitate them. 

1 This chapter was originally written for The Baby’s World of June, 1910. 

107 


io8 


He passed the whole day on the shore admiring the great war galleys 
with their golden prows and bright sails, and thought his own fleet of 
wooden boats rather childish. 

The Vikings let their boys disport themselves in the open air, and 
compete with others of the same age, in order to develop not only 
their physical strength, but also their ambition. When from 6 to 8 
years of age, they were systematically exercised in archery, spear and 
stone throwing, and fencing. Early in life they were taught to ride, 
swim, sail a boat, wrestle, skate, and to run on skis. 

Sometimes when a little quarrel arose, and the boys had real weapons 
in their hands, the adults did not interfere, in order not to check the 
self-assertion of the children, or to limit their development. 

On an unlucky occasion, Gudmund the Mighty and his brother 
Einar, when boys, were playing with sharp axes, when, seeing his 
sleeping foster father tormented by gnats, Gudmund drove the axe 
into his head, not in malice, but simply desiring to relieve him from 
the annoyance. 

Such an education resulted in the fact that a boy of 12 years of age 
possessed such physical maturity that he was able to go out on his 
first expedition and attempt his first feat of arms. It is noteworthy 
that at that age boys attained manhood in the eyes of the law. 

I am of opinion that in these days we do not foster hardihood and 
self-reliance sufficiently among our children. I have found the ad¬ 
vantage of so doing in the case of my own family, and believe that the 
same methods would succeed equally well with others. Many boys 
if turned out at 12 years of age would soon be seeking their homes in 
tears; but such is not the case with mine. 

My son lb goes into ecstasies if he is allowed to make a railway 
trip by himself in Switzerland. Last autumn, when 10 years of age, 
he arranged to meet some German boys at Brunnen, in order to go for 
an excursion into the Maderaner Valley. At 5 o’clock in the morning 
he got up, dressed, and put on his heavy knapsack. Then, taking his 
alpenstock in his hand, he walked in total darkness the 3 miles to the 
railway station of Zurich to meet his friends. We did not see him till 
two days afterwards at 12 o’clock at night, but he had sent a telegram 
to prevent us being anxious, saying he had been delayed in the moun¬ 
tains. 

Per , a little over 6 years of age, travels every day by train to the 
city and goes to a sort of open-air school where only German is spoken. 

The reader may have noted in the book, “My System,” that Per 
has never since his birth, day or night, summer or winter, been kept 




Bror,” aged 20 Months, 


The Boys’ Column, 












no 


in a room with closed windows; that lb has nearly as good a record; 
but still baby Bror has beaten them both, for he was born with the 
windows wide open. 

To tell of all the sporting achievements of my boys would take too 
much space, so I will just give some examples. 

When 9 years old lb followed day by day for a week, without drop¬ 
ping behind, a company of German soldiers on skis through the Black 
Forest. He was given a signed certificate by the lieutenant in com¬ 
mand. 

Both he and his brother Per are very expert on skis. Last March 
I tried to run them tired, but they hung on, up and down, and we made 
in /pp2 hours a round tour that, according to the Ski Manuals, requires 
a whole day. They also perform all the ski tricks, such as the Chris¬ 
tiania Swing, the Telemark Curve, the Snow Plough, and Ski Hopping. 

Last October, Per and I walked over the Clausen Pass from Altdorf 
to Linthal, 31 miles in hours. Per carried his own rucksack, but 
said he was not tired afterwards, while I, an old racing walker, was 
obliged to confess that I felt my legs had had enough. 

At 3 years of age Per could swim in the open Sound, and now is a 
thorough expert in the water. Ib has already won several swimming 
races against young men of 14 to 18 years of age. His medium speed 
for long distances, using the over-arm stroke, is 1 yard per second, and 
he has swum 50 yards in 44 seconds. In salt water he can perform all 
the feats of Mr. W. Henry, the famous founder of the “Royal Life- 
Saving Society.” 

I will not lengthen this paper by telling of their records in running 
and other athletic exercises, but I hope the time will come when, like 
the Vikings before them, they will cross the sea to compete with the 
athlete.s of England. 


Ill 


SOME INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES* 

The first table gives the measurements of the boys as taken a few 
years ago, and shows that Ib was then as big as the average British 
boy of fourteen years of age, and Per as the boy of ten. This is ac¬ 
cording to the Anthropometric Committee’s Standard. 


Ib. 

Per. 

Bror. 

io}4 years. 

Age. 

6^4 years. 

i T \ years. 

4 ft. 11^ ins. 

Height. 

4 ft. ins. 

3 ft. OJ4 ins. 

6 st. 10 yi lbs. 

Weight. 

4 st. 11 lbs. 

35 lbs. 

3i>£ ins. 

Chest ( inspiration). 

27^ ins. 

245^ ins. 

26^ ins. 

(expiration). 

22ins. 

— 


These facts and figures are worth recording, as they clearly indi¬ 
cate the advantages that result from regular physical exercise, ample 
food, and unlimited fresh air, together with avoidance of coddling and 
unnecessary clothing. 

The second table gives the measurements at the time of the pub¬ 
lication of this volume. 


Ib. 

Per. 

Bror. 

12^ years. 

Age. 

9 years. 

3rt years. 

5 ft. 4 ins. 

Height. 

4 ft. 8^2 ins. 

3 ft. 8 ins. 

8 st. 2 lbs. 

Weight. 

5 st. 8 }4 lbs. 

3 st. 2}4 lbs. 

33/^ ins. 

Chest (inspiration). 

29^ ins. 

25^ ins. 

27 ins. 

(expiration). 

25ins. 

22^4 ins. 


In 1911 lb and Per won, each of them, four open speed skating 
and ski-ing races in St. Moritz and Davos. Ib skated 5,000 metres 
(= 3 miles 200 yards) in 10 minutes 54 seconds. 

Per is now so strong in the abdominal muscles that he can lie on the 
floor and support the whole of my weight (13 stones) when I jump 
upon his bare stomach. When eight years old, he three times ascended 
the peak of Piz Julier (more than 11,000 feet high). 

















11 2 


APPENDIX. 

In “My System for Ladies” I published a few letters received from lady fol¬ 
lowers of “My System” in sixteen different countries: England, America, France, 
Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Norway, 
Sweden, Finland, Russia, Spain, and Greece. I find there is no room to repeat 
these letters or to reprint others in this volume. 

I have hitherto received some fourteen thousand letters of thanks and apprecia¬ 
tion frotn people resident in all parts of the world. Yet these 14,000 correspondents 
of mine represent, of course, only a small proportion of all the followers of “My 
System,” the number of them now being millions. More than three-quarters of a 
million copies of my first book have been sold, it having been translated into 
nineteen different languages. But in many cases a whole family of several mem¬ 
bers, together with their friends, have learned to do the exercises from one and the 
same copy of the book, while numerous teachers have, each of them, instructed 
hundreds of pupils also by means of a single copy. 

And, again, it has come to my knowledge that the richer and the more socially 
distinguished of the followers of “My System” are those who have been the least 
disposed to write to me and thank me for the benefit which they have derived from 
the practice of it. I am in a position to know that many persons of rank on the 
Continent, including several members of Royal and Imperial families, use “My 
System.” 

Many hundreds of the letters of thanks I have received mention the good which 
“My System” had done to their children. 

The Author. 






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